Over 100 strangers went behind my back.
Disclaimer: this is a copy of the newsletter. Actual subscribers get all the prizes, votes, and exclusives.
“I’ve got something I need to tell you.”
I stopped pacing on my back porch. When you’re a debut author, and your book isn’t out yet, hearing your publisher say those words over the phone on a Sunday night is a little… daunting.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I asked in a casual voice, while my brain was processing a thousand possible outcomes like I was Dr. Strange.
Is there a problem with the print?
Did one of the authors, that I use one of their books as a comp for ours, do something bad and now everyone hates them?
I shook my head, knowing what the most likely outcome was.
Brandon Sanderson decided to write and release a book similar to mine. I mean, it would only take him a couple of weeks to get 400 pages written.
I’m screwed.
“The big retail stores are watching you.” My publisher said.
I looked off the porch, as if expecting to see the Barnes & Noble and Amazon logos in hoodies, peering over my fence.
“Why?” I asked.
Why would they care about a no-name author like me? Doesn’t make sense.
“Because over a hundred people have pre-ordered your book.”
I blinked twice. “Is that good?”
“It’s really good. Most authors don’t sell a hundred books in their lifetime, and selling pre-orders is even harder.”
I punched my fist into the air. “Let’s gooo!” I mean, I hadn’t even started doing pre-sales in my own sphere. So this wasn’t my mom smashing that pre-order button… yet.
These are complete strangers who read the book blurb (we got special ones just for you at the end) and said: “I want to read that.” And then pre-ordered the deluxe, limited-edition, hardcover of The First Stone.
I paused. “Wait. Why does that matter to the big retail stores?”
“Because that’s not normal. Now they’re considering buying the book in the thousands.”
My publisher went on to explain that since it’s so rare for authors to sell 100 copies, let alone to get over 100 pre-orders, the big retailers see a LOT of promise in the book and its success.
So, my publisher told me to refocus the plan and pour everything into pre-orders, because this is the shot of a lifetime.
Monday, I went live with pre-orders in my sphere, and here are a few of the unexpected, but awesome people who pre-ordered:
- Jonathan, the awesome guy with a sweet dragon tattoo who bagged my groceries: pre-ordered on the spot (he loves Lord of the Rings)
- Shanequa, who checked me into my hotel (speaking at a conference): pre-ordered on the spot (she loves dystopian novels)
- Johnny Bobby, veteran, dumpster owner, and cowboy: pre-ordered on the spot (read all the Hunger Games)
- And dozens more, from complete strangers to friends and family, have been pre-ordering the book on the spot to not only snag their own limited-edition copies of an epic story, but to help make this dream a reality.
If you’re shocked by all this… WE ARE TOO.
100+ people who don’t even know us pre-ordered a book my wife and I built on walks with the kids, and came up with plots that will make you love (or hate) us while telling our youngest to take smaller bites of his food.
I mean, we’re just a husband and wife who named our two kids after characters from this book, and have been building it together for the last 8 years. But we can’t fulfill this dream without your help. We tried. They don’t count the books we buy ourselves. Haha.
So, that’s why we’re coming to you. Will you pre-order The First Stone right now? GET YOUR DELUXE COPY NOW
We are only a few pre-orders away from hitting the benchmarks needed to open up these negotiations for the big retailers to come in and buy THOUSANDS of copies of The First Stone. Every pre-order counts, and our window is narrow to get these in.
As a massive thank you, EVERY single pre-order gets you 50 entries into our faction-themed lootbox giveaway. Your entries carry forward as well. So you pre-order 3 copies and give 2 away, you still get +150 entries into the giveaway.
And to push our gratitude even further, we’ll be picking from the pre-orders a handful of people to get a free early ebook of the book and be the first to leave their honest review of the book and help shape its future!
Reply to this email with a screenshot of your pre-order, and I will give you a sneak peek at the early stage of a companion project to the book (where you can have your own character and travel within the book-world).
Thanks again for supporting us.
As promised, we unlocked a Cass POV and Evelon POV book blurb here: Read the Cass & Evelon Book Blurb POV Now!
That is the only place you can find them currently. Check them out!
~Robert
Disclaimer: this is a copy of the newsletter. Actual subscribers get all the prizes, votes, and exclusives.
